Sunday letters to the editor

July 1, 2012

Allow pets in condos

Re Diane C. Lade's " Pets now part of senior care" (June 24):

Why is it that nursing homes and assisted living facilities recognize the therapeutic benefits that companion animals provide to seniors and thus allows them to reside with and/or visit the elderly; but it is next to impossible to find senior communities — both condos and single family homes (55 and older) —that allow pets and the few that do place severe restrictions on them?

I am a Baby Boomer and I would never live without my animals — two rescued dogs who happen to weigh over 50 pounds. People need to let builders, legislators and homeowners associations know that these animal prohibitions are unacceptable. Animals provide safety, security, companionship and unconditional love. People who are retired have more time to devote to their pets and there are so many wonderful, deserving animals waiting for a good home.

These laws hurt both the humans and the animals and make no sense. It's the 21st century and it's time to change these antiquated and repressive laws. Please visit http://www.petsincondos.org for more information on how you can help.

Judith Fish, Coconut Creek

Child custody

As a child and forensic psychiatrist, I read with interest the May 25 about violence in child custody disputes.

What was omitted was the influence of emotions, motives, and personality characteristics. Often, the individual who acts out violently — usually the male — carries anger and resentment (emotions) towards the spouse and the legal system, acts to maintain control and power in the relationship (motive), and tends to have a selfish and self-serving personality style.

These individuals often feel, justly or unjustly, that the system has been unfair to them. This is especially so in individuals with personality disorders who see any action that is not in concert what they want as an attack on them.

They convert any helplessness they feel with the events and outcome of the custody struggle into a retaliatory act of power and control, sometimes violent in nature if their past behavior and personality predisposes them to this.

The self-centeredness of the individual explains why the very subjects of the struggle — the children of the relationship — are frequently injured, killed or left orphans. The violent parent does not care about them other than as objects of control and parts of themselves rather than as separate individuals who have needs that may not coincide with the parent's needs.

Congratulations to the Sun Sentinel's sports department and the outstanding writing throughout the Heat's playoff run.

Every day there was a well written article with a fresh twist you wanted to quote or cut out. Each morning you found interesting facts, passion or perspective in this newspaper that was not on TV or the Internet.

This was something only hometown writers could capture and they did an award-winning job.

Janet Jordan, Lauderdale by the Sea

Immigration differences

Michael Mayo's article on immigration ("A nation of immigrants wrestles with immigration," June 26), requires some historical perspective. His comment about white Europeans (versus his implied comparison to Latino immigrants) who arrived by the millions is not correct. My grandparents were among the millions who were welcomed over 100 years ago.

However, they had to prove they could contribute to our nation's economic growth and well-being before being admitted. At that time our expanding nation needed them and their abilities to work as tailors, plumbers, shopkeepers, carpenters, etc. My mother's parents spent several years on a waiting list before they were granted access. Our welcome mat should always be there for immigrants who come through the front door.

Lawrence Lambek, Lake Worth

Obama uses power to obstruct investigation

I guess that liberals just can't help themselves. Their multiple excuses explaining President Obama's failed presidency always seem to mention G.W. Bush.

"Bush did it too" is — again — their lame excuse for our current president's use of executive privilege. Yes, Bush claimed executive privilege to withhold information from Congress in reference to the dismissal of U.S. attorneys. It's something that presidents do. Obama is using executive privilege to obstruct an investigation into his Justice Department's complicity in multiple murders. Get the difference?

Jeff Cabaniss, Cocoa

Story insensitive

Re the article in the June 22 Local section entitled "Woman sitting on bus bench naked":

I was so disturbed by the unnecessary and cruel adjective describing the woman who was the subject of the story. It is obvious that she suffers from some kind of mental illness that is a very common affliction for many of our homeless population, but was it necessary to try and humiliate her more by using "400-pound" as an adjective?